The Washington critic., 1887-06-02
WASHINGTON, JUNE ., 1887.
Apour two years ago Congress say

ABOUT two years ago Congress saw
the wisdom of passing law pro.
hibiting the hauling of seines or
nets In the Potomac within the Dis.
trict limits. The products Of this river
have always been a source Of comfort
and industry, but the terrible drain on
its fruitful waters threaten to vir.
tually destroy their usefulness In this
particular. Since the law was passed
every succeeding year shows au Increase
in the catch of herring and shad. This
year the catch OF shad exceeds TINT of
last year by forty per cent, and there
was an increase in the catch of herring
amounting to II per cent This show
ing is very gratifying, but the results
would have been better If the courts had
enforced the law against the offenders.
There are only eight days more In
which herring and shad can be sold at
The wharves. and as the fish are coming
into the District waters-their natural
spawning grounds-increased vigilance
should be used to protect them.
The New York ho,el.keepers are
shafng under the Sunday law, and will
probably agree upon some combined
plan of resistance to its enforcement.
The difficulty seems to be in drawing
line between hotels aud restaurants.
If the one are permitted to furnish
their guests with wines and spirituous
drinks at the dinner table, why not the
other at their chop countersY Yet to
grant the latter license would unques-
tionably result In reopcnlng general
bar.room traffic. Public sentiment,
however, is with the hotel proprietors,
because they are, in the larger and
broader sense, purveyors for the public
comfort.
IT is suggested, If the managers of
The drill desire to have the parade
ground filled once to overilowing, rain
or shine, before the enclosure is re-
moved, that they permit the Light In.
fantry and the National Rifles to have
the use of It the fore part of an even.
ing 10 settle their long pent.up un.
pleasantness In q got you. please com.
bat, to be followed, as an after piece,
by slugglng match between the
belligerent contestants for the
fence which divides lie Droit Park
from the Howard Commons. The ad.
mission receipts to witness these tussles
would avoid further assessment on
the subscribers to the drill guarantee
fund.
THIS Is the first anniversary of the
wedding of President and Mrs. Clcve.
land. One year ago to day occurred
the most notable event in Mr.. Cleve.
lands notable life. That It was an au-
spicuous event is shown, II In no other
way, by the demonstrated excellence
of the choice he made, for there is
no lady In the land who stands higher
In the public esteem than the fair young
mistress of the White House.
THE National Convention of colored
men which was called to meet at In.
dianapolis yesterday to consider the
question of their political bondage,
was but slimly attended and adjourned
without transacting any business. 1t
would appear from this that their
chains are not hurting them to very
agonizipg extent.
Buck TAYLOR, one of the bright
particular stars of Buffalo Bill's Wild
West show, which has fairly captured
the British metropolis, accidentally
fractured his thigh at yesterdays per.
formance and was sent to the hospital
for repairs. The wonder Is that he
hasn't broken his neck long before this.
THE visit of the Toledo Cadets to the
National Drill was not altogether In
vain after all, even If they did fail to
carry of prize. Their admiring
friends, less eXacting than the military
judges here, are arranging to give them
a big banquet and thousand dollars
besides, as an appetizer.
INDICATIONS at Concord are that Mr..
William L. Chandler's long cherished
ambition to be elected to the United
States Senate will be gratlfied at the
present session of the New Hampshire
Legislature. Apparently no combina-
tion can be evolved to beat him.
THE Mechanical Engineers are di.
viding their time between business and
pleasure In most agreeable and sys.
1ematic way. To day they will visit
Mount Vernon and hold another even.
ing session TO night
TWENTY years ago-June 30, 1867
the public debt was S2,G7s, 1876, 1903.
To-day 1t is $1,20G, 2Si, ,iG2. The
United States is good to its creditors.
IT Is IL the recollection Of many persons
now living when St. Joseph, Mo was little
more than an Quitting point for the plains
and on the extreme frontier. They have
just organized gentlemen's club there Of
forty-one members, who represent about
s29OO0,0o0 In property. 1t has been
christened the "Benton Club,r and Its mem
bersbip is to be raised to two thousand,
making 1t one Of the largest aud wealthlest
associations Of the kind In the country
EX-SENATOR DORSEY, at the New York
Club the other evening, gave II as his opln.
ion, formed from long and Intimate OBJ
servation, that at least three-fourths OF the
money raised for political purposes during a
lie al hu tha 10,